Let's be friends forever!
by himurakenshinfan19
Summary: In a country torn apart by war, its very easy for one to loose themselves in the sea of blood, a young determined Samurai and a beautiful, tormented Ninja struggle to keep their sanity in the hell that continues to haunt them..
1. A Curious Girl

A TakiXMitsurugi fic, I personally like this pairing, theres something to the whole Samurai/Ninja love that I really like :)

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><p>Japan, year 1570, the entire country is torn apart by war.<p>

8-year-old Heishiro Mitsurugi has watched the terrible suffering that plagued his village his entire life, the frightened eyes of those who's family members had to go away to the battlefield, and the sad, disgusted, and horrified eyes when their bodies were brought back to their respective villages for the Family to see them half decomposed, and often headless.

As the Savaged, Bloodthirsty Warriors did as a sign of dominance.

And he feared that soon enough, he would taste the same bitter taste of sorrow that consumed the villagers, for his Three older Brothers, Roshitsune, who is 14, and Hayate, is 17, and Sanza who is 18, were all called on to the battlefield, either coming home with blood on their hands, and a demonic, worn out look in their eyes,

Or headless, and dead.

At least that's was what his Father, Seishiro, told him, and he always took his Father's words to heart.

His Father, as Heishiro always thought of him, was the very example of what a real man should be, proud, noble, ready and willing to give his life for his Family, and what he believed in,

His Father was a fairly tall, rugged looking man with stern features, he was always dorned in dark colored Hakama and Haori, his hair was once a black color with a brown hue to it, and he always kept it tied in a long ponytail that fell over his broad shoulders, but now he wore it loose, and it was starting to gray slightly with age.

Like a true Swordman should.

As a Swordman, Heishiro could admit that he idolized him and watched very closely to every example he made.

As Father and Son, however, they were a bit strained.

Heishiro did love his Father, no joke, at least the extent you can love a man like his Father, the strain is in partial fault to his Father's cold, silent exterior, and the way he bluntly, and harshly fortold the inevitable fates that could be awaiting his Brothers, whom Heishiro was already worried enough for.

Whether or not he shared his worry was a matter of debate.

But according to his Mother, Kyoko, his Father would have gladly went to the war in all of his Son's place, but due to an injury he took in a battle that crippled him a few years earlier, he was unable to do so, and that he loved all his children dearly and equally with all his heart.

But Heishiro still wondered about it.

His relationship with his Mother, however, was a much more compassinate one.

His Mother was a kind-hearted, sweet, beautiful woman, she had long, ebony hair worn in a loose braid down her back, she wore a pale pink Kimono with a lime green Obi, and casual straw sandals, She was the direct opposite of his Father, (Heishiro always wondered how he was able to have a kind woman like her fall for him in the first place.) who's presence was a great relief to the young Heishiro, she was always ready to calm Heishiro's fears, though he never outright expressed any such weak, pathetic emotions, yet, somehow she always knew.

And there wasn't anything wrong with that.

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><p>Heishiro stood in the Bamboo forest just outside of the village, holding a bamboo Shinai firmly in his small hands, he'd been swinging it repeatedly for several hours, seeking to get stronger with each swing.<p>

_I have to get stronger, to protect my Family, my friends, my village! _He swore as he swung it even more intently, strands of his black hair that had escaped from his usual upward hairstyle, were hanging loose around his face, and a determined look in his brown eyes, little did he know, however,that someone was watching him...

An 8-year-old young Kunoichi-in-training by the name of Taki hid in the many stalks of Bamboo plants, hiding in her surrounding, and hiding her presence like Toki taught her, she swept her hair out of her face, large dark eyes watched closely at the boy with the Shinai.

She placed a hand over her mouth, to try and stifle her giggling, it was the first time she actually spied on anybody,

And it was fun!

She loved the thrill of watching a complete stranger's every move, and their none the wiser of the pair of eyes watching from the shadows.

Then, she saw the boy stop! Taki tensed up, _Did he see me? _She thought, worried.

"Who's there?" The boy called, with a placid glare, amazing how a boy that young looked so jaded.

Taki's heart began racing, as she tried to keep herself out of his view, she didn't learn how to disappear yet, or jump that high, she had no way of escaping.

_Oh no, if he see's me, we're both going to be in a lot of trouble! _She thought franticly, she wanted to explore the outside world, not endanger the life of an innocent boy!

She wasn't allowed to leave the village, lest run the risk of exposing the Fuuma Clan secrets, but Taki just couldn't help herself, she loved to go and see the outside world, and she always had a bad habit of letting her curiousity getting the better of her.

" Whoever you are, come out!" He yelled, the low tone in his voice almost frightening.

Then an idea came to Taki's mind,

_I'll just pretend to be a normal girl, just walking through the woods, then he'll be safe and not find out I'm a Kunoichi, and I can slip away safely. Taki, you are a genius! _Taki thought with a smile.

Taki then slowly stood up, and walked out from her hiding spot, and pretended to be timid, and less of a threat.

Upon seeing a girl walk out, Heishiro's expression softened a bit.

" What were you doing spying on me?" He asked plainly.

_A real straight to the point kind of guy, huh? This could get complicated. _Taki thought, then put on the most cute, timid face she could fake, and spoke.

" I-I'm sorry, I was just walking by, and saw you swinging that Sword thingy, and I, I guess I got curious." She said, looking down shyly.

_God! I hate acting so weak, this guy better buy this! _She thought angerly, but still keeping her facade on flawlessly.

Heishiro sensed that something was amiss about this girl, but dicided that he was just being to paronoid, what could a cute, innocent looking girl like her possibly do to him?

Taki flinched slightly when Heishiro raised the Shinai a bit,

" This sword-thingy is called a 'Shinai' its used to practice Kenjutsu." He explained in an almost monotonic manner.

_I already know that. _Taki thought.

" Wow, " Taki exclaimed, looking at the Shinai in feigned wonder," So, are you training to become Swordsman?" She asked, making her dark eyes as wide and innocent as possible.

" No, well, sort of, its just for some stupid goal of mine." Heishiro answered, looking away, embarassed a little for saying that.

_Why am I spilling my guts to this girl, I just met her, I don't even know her name! _He scolded himself for being careless.

Taki blinked at that," What is your goal? " She asked.

" I can't tell you, you'll just laugh." He said, still emarassed.

" I won't laugh, I promise!" She said, with genuine interest.

" I don't even know your name!" Heishiro argued.

" Okay, I'll tell you," Taki said as she bowed her head in greeting." My name is Taki." She said.

" Taki? Thats an odd name." He said bluntly.

" Well, whats your name?" Taki asked the boy, slightly irritated with his comment.

" Its Heishiro Mitsurugi." He stated, not bowing his head.

" Hey, your sopposed to bow your head!" Taki pointed out.

" And why would I do that?" He asked, stilll bluntly.

" Well, my M-**Father **said that its a sign of being a polite person." Taki answered.

" Your Father is right, it is polite to bow in greeting, and he was right to teach you that, but I am not bound by such things, I merely seek to pursue strength, nothing more." He stated proudly.

Taki was surprized at how sure of himself Mitsurugi sounded, so untaunted and unashamed to speak out against the norm, she quickly found herself facinated by him, she wanted to learn more about him.

" That's really brave of you, Mitsurugi-Kun." She said, with the upmost honesty.

Heishiro blushed slightly at the new nickname Taki had presented him with." Don't be ridiculous." was all he said, not knowing how to respond to her praise.

" Now, back to the original question, whats your goal, Mitsurugi-Kun?" She asked once again.

_What a persistant girl. _Heishiro thought with annoyance.

" Its none of your business! " He spat angerly.

Taki knew that he had a point,"Sorry, I always pry without realizing it." She said. " But for what its worth, I hope you achieve your goal, whatever it may be." She said with a smile.

_What am I doing, why do I keep complimenting him? Why should I care? _She thought, confused at her own behavior.

Heishiro felt himself blush once again," Whatever." He said stubbornly, trying to sound nonchalant.

Then Taki approached him, and when she got uncomfortably close, she placed a hand on the slightly taller child's forehead. "Are you feeling okay, you feel warm." She said innocently, for real this time.

" I'm fine, now back away from me." He said as he gently swatted her hand away.

" O-Okay." Taki said, slightly confused.

There was a silence between them for a moment as they both simply wondered what to say next,

Heishiro had no idea what to say to a girl, in fact, he didn't know much about socializing with people in general, he was always so preoccupied with his training to take the time to make friends,

It was the one thing he didn't understand about people, their consistant need for companionship.

And Taki was no better off, she lived in a hidden Ninaja village, and all of them were aware of eachothers occupation, but in the outside world, that wasn't the case, with this boy, she had to actually lie to him, and to be honest, she was starting to feel a little bad about that, but all the same, it was for both of their sake's, so her charade would continue.

"So, can you show me how to use it?" Taki asked, pointing innocently at Heishiro's Shinai.

Even though she was already adept at Swordplay, she just wanted to see how good Mitsurugi was.

" Oh, okay, I soppose that I can." He answered.

Then he placed the Shinai in both of Taki's small hands, Taki blushed at the sudden contact.

Mitsurugi, however, was no longer nervous, in fact, he seemed to go stoic once again, like the notion of training with a Sword put his normal childish emotions into neutral, and he did not share the embarrassment of the Kunoichi in front of him.

Though strangely enough, Mitsurugi noticed that, they were callosed, and not the soft kind of hands that you'd find on a normal little girl!

Taki tensed up, worried that he'd notice!

But to Taki's relief, he didn't press it,

Although with his oddly flawless pokerface, she couldn't read what his exact thoughts were, she was sure he was still none the wiser of her deception.

_I wonder what this Taki girl really is? _The young swordman thought as he straightened the Shinai in her hands,

_Heh, heh, I'm the Queen of deception! _She thought triumphantly.

But he didn't think it was that important, after all, it was no concern of his one way or the other.

" You have to hold the sword in your hands firmly, like **this." **Mitsurugi instructed as he stood behind the shy ninja girl before him.

" Okay." She replied, then gave a strong swing, though not as strong as she could really go, lest she reveal her true skills to him.

" How'd I do?" She asked cheerfully.

" You did fine, I soppose." Heishiro said plainly.

A cute pout became apparent on Taki's face," Shouldn't you be more, I don't know, nicer?" She asked.

" Why?" He simply asked, a little confused.

" Because, you have to be nice to people, so that they will be nice to you in return." She answered him.

" And you honestly believe that, Taki?" He said, somewhat arrogantly.

Taki was starting to get a little angry at him, but tried her best not to make it to apparent.

" Yes, I do believe that." She said proudly.

Mitsurugi was even more confused at that. " Well, then I guess we just have different outlooks on things." He said, somewhat nervous, he couldn't understand what it was that disturbed him about this girl, but he didn't want to argue with her!

" I soppose we do, " Taki replied with a smile, " But thats not a bad thing, if we were all the same, there wouldn't be much point to living."

Mitsurugi did **not **know what to make of that girl.

" You are strange, girl." Mitsurugi said, with the faintest smile.

Taki chuckled a bit, "So are you!" She replied, smiling back.

Then glanced at eachother for a moment, then both looked away with a blush noticable on both of their young faces.

" Heishiro!" A voice called out in the distance.

The two children glanced in the direction the voice came from,

And there stood an elderly woman with grey hair worn in a loose bun, stood outside the bamboo, with a worried expression on her wrinkled face!

" Bachan? What is it?" Heishiro asked, his young face was placid, but Taki could sense the slightest ripple in the calm lake that was his mind.

" Its your Father, he suddenly collapsed, your Mother got a docter, she told me to come get you!"

As she informed Heishiro of the bad news, Taki saw his eyes slowly widen in horror!

" Father." He breathed out in his shock, then, forgetting the girl beside him, he bolted past her, "Mitsurugi!" Taki yelled after him, but she didn't hear her as he darted past the the old woman and darted down the dirt road in the direction his house was!

" Oh dear, I haven't seen Heishiro with such a worried look since his Brothers went to fight in the war." The old woman, Yukari, said sadly, as she watched the young boy run home!

" Is he always like that?" Taki asked the elderly woman, with a worried look in her large brown eyes.

Yukari looked to the strange girl that she didn't remember seeing before in the village. " Yes, but I think its more or less become an emotional defense that he created to escape his loneliness." Yukari explained to the young Kunoichi.

But then, sensing the girl's worry for Heishiro, smiled softly," But maybe he'll come out of his shell with the help of a new friend." She said, implying to Taki what she should do.

" I see." She replied, looking away with a slightly serious expression, she was scared about where this was headed, she was just trying to have fun and harmlessly abuse her Ninjutsu now and then, but no, she had to get attached to some boy she just met, and get caught up in his troubles.

But she didn't have to, right? She could just walk away now, and disappear, like a bat in the night,

And part ways with Mitsurugi forever...

But, for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to do that,

She didn't want to leave him,

She **couldn't **leave him, not like this!

She hated this, feeling such sympathy, some Ninja she'd grow up to be!

A Ninja can't be controlled by emotions, but she couldn't escape just how well she understood his pain, his lonliness...

_I hope you'll be okay, Mitsurugi. _She thought, with genuine concern for her new friend,

Then she ran past Yukari and ran after him.

Yukari smiled when she saw that the girl understood.

_Good luck, Heishiro, and to you as well, child. For you are both on a very dangerous road, with many twists and turns ahead of you, you will both face many trials and find yourselves in many dangerous situations, and in the dance of blades and the many rains of blood, you will either be each other's salvation, or damnation. _She thought as her dark eyes glew a solid white.

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><p>Mitsurugi ran down the road in a panic!<p>

_Father, please don't die, I don't want to loose you to! _He thought frantic as he through off his sandals, and tore open the shoji doors,

And there saw his Mother sitting down beside his Father, who layed on a futon, unconscious.

" Mother, is Father-" He began, then saw his Mother smile lightly.

" He's fine, Heishiro, you don't have to worry." She said as she got up, walked over to her Son, and gave her worried child a hug.

" So he's okay, I'm glad." He said into her shoulder, trying to sound calm but was actually very relieved.

Kyoko seemed to already be aware of that, so she hugged him tighter.

" He was just running a high fever, thats all." The young, male docter said, smiling.

Mitsurugi didn't like the sound of that, at his Father's age, a fever wasn't something that one can just get over.

He looked to his Father's sleeping form, he looked well enough, slightly pale, but nothing to noticable.

" I see." He said, trying to be stoic.

" Heishiro," His Mother said sadly, sometimes she worried for her Son, even though she knew that he was worried, no Eight year old should be **this **placid at this kind of situation!

" Mitsurugi?" A tired voice said from behind him,

He turned to see Taki standing there, panting, like she ran the whole way, her bangs were sticking to her porcelian face, and her brown eyes were wide with worry.

" Taki?" He replied, a little confused that she followed him all the way there.

" Who is this?" Kyoko asked her Son.

" I-I'm, well, I- " Taki stuttered, not sure how to answer that.

" She's my friend." Heishiro interrupted bluntly.

" Your friend" Kyoko asked, surprized, her Son didn't make friends very easily due to his severe nature.

" Yes, her name is Taki, she followed me here to make sure my Father and everyone else was okay." Heishiro explained.

Taki felt heat rise in her cheeks, and a cherry red color painted across them.

_Friend? _She thought, completely dumb-founded.

" Oh, well its very nice to meet you, and thank you for your concern." Kyoko said, smiling happily, and bowing in thanks to her Son's first friend.

" Um, yeah, sure." She said, still nervous.

Then she glanced at the now silent Mitsurugi, but he wasn't looking at her, he was kneeling beside his Father, but instead of the sad, worried expression one would find on a child who almost lost his Father,

There, in its place was one of,

_What is that? Is that, hatred? _She wondered, not sure what to think of him, what it wasn't any of her concern what his feelings towards his Father were,

She didn't care, right?

" Well, your Father needs his rest, you two can sit on the porch, I'll go make some tea." Kyoko suggested, not noticing her Son's face.

But somehow, Mitsurugi felt she already knew...

" Alright, Mother." Heishiro replied, then he stood up, walked by Taki, grabbed her hand and pulled her outside.

" Hey, let me go! Whats wrong with you?" Taki said in protest as he stopped outside the shoji doors, with Taki's hand still tightly grasped in his.

Mitsurugi was silent for a moment, then he turned around,

His eyes met with Taki's as he gazed at her intensely,

His eyes were more serious then usual, Taki could easily compare them to that of a Wolf, then can be stoic and determined one moment, and then cruel and vicious the other.

Taki stood, unfazed by him.

" Why did you follow?" He finally asked.

" Well, I soppose its because I was worried, Mitsurugi-kun." Taki said shyly as she lowered her head, suddenly feeling nervous, avoiding his piercing eyes further.

She found that she was no longer pretending, he was seeing her, in her truest, most real self.

And that scared her, it meant that he would be in danger, and she didn't want that!

" Why? " Its not like its any of your concern, right?" Mitsurugi replied, trying to make sense of the strange new emotions that started clawing in his heart the second she said that she was worried for him were.

" I dunno, I guess I- " She began, then stopped herself, she couldn't tell him that she actually likes him, it would be the death of him, and she couldn't do that to him, to tell him that she's his friend, and then just disappear, back into the darkness, forever out of his sight, she just couldn't!

And if she said that, she'd basically be astablishing a frienship with him, and even though she would like that, she had to consider his safty, at all cost!

She looked to him again, they were both blushing at this point, both to shy to say what they wanted.

" N-No reason really, I just figured it would be polite, thats all!" Taki insisted, obviously nervous.

Mitsurugi's eyes narrowed slightly in disbelief." Are you sure that the **only **reason?" He asked, patiently.

" Yep!" She insisted yet again, then she saw how late it was getting!

" Oh, oh no! I have to go, sorry, Mitsurugi-kun, I have to get home!" She said as her hand left his, and she started to run down the road.

His hand suddenly felt cold without hers...

" Taki, will I be able to see you again?" He called after her.

She stopped and turned back in his direction," Yes, I'll meet you in the bamboo forest in a week from now!" She called back.

He felt a small wave of joy as she told him that.

They both shared a mutual smile, then she finally turned back and left his sight.

" Heishiro, wheres your friend?" Kyoko asked, standing behind him.

" She had to go home, thats all." He said with a nonchalant shrug.

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><p>Okay, before anyone gets mad, I dicided to make Taki a little more playful because I didn't think she was the serious Kunoichi we all know and love, since she was a little kid! And Mitsurugi, well, I figured a that he didn't get along with other people very well in his youth, thats all. Anyway, I hope you review :)<p> 


	2. A Lonely Boy

Heres chapter 2 ;)

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><p>Heishiro walked silently along the river bank by the bamboo forest, all alone.<p>

He didn't mind being alone though, it was perferable to listening to those other stupid children laughing and playing around like primates, all the while there Father's and Brother's were off to war!

He wished more then anything to help his Brothers, but since that was never going to happen,

He would just settle with staying home, his boring, totaly predictable home, filled with weaklings,

And help out his Mother in taking care of his sickly Father.

Though the stubborn old coot would refuse their aid on every turn.

Heishiro scoffed, half proudly, and half bitterly to himself. _The proud old fool will be dead and buried long before he accepts help from anyone, especially **me**. _He thought sadly to himself.

Although, be believed that he had always known at some level, it had become painfully obvious that his Father could not stand the sight of Heishiro, he wasn't even pretending anymore!

It pained Heishiro greatly, to think that the man he had revered and idolized his whole life had secretly hated his excistence, all Eight years of it!

And what really killed Heishiro is, he didn't even know what his reason for hating him was,

Did he fear him, just as his Mother does? (Rather obviously)

But if so, at least his Mother does indeed love him all the same, and fears for him as well.

Heishiro sighed at sat beside the river, he leaned his elbows on his knees and stared at his reflection.

_What am I sopposed to do now? I don't want Father to hate me, and I don't want Mother to be scared of me, but I cannot change who I am,_

_Besides, why should they both judge me so harshly? I may not have the same interests as the other children, but I'm a child just the same, **their** child!_ He thought bitterly to himself, he didn't like the feeling that he had,

The feeling of being all alone.

And he had been very lonely lately, he had not seen Taki, who was currently his very first and only friend, for over two weeks now, he missed her.

Though he'd rather slit his throat with a Shinai then admit it out loud!

He wondered where she was, and if she was thinking about him and missed him as well,

Or rather, if she even cared at all.

But he had seen enough of other children's cruelty to know that she probably didn't.

And yet, still he waited patiently for her return.

Why she had such an effect on him and his usually flawless common sense was beyond him, but somehow, he didn't mind it all that much.

He would just have to do the one thing he knew was foolish, and have faith in her,

Wherever she may be.

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><p>Taki was standing in a firm battle stance, preparing to face off against another young student.<p>

Taki felt a little sorry for the poor boy, Asashi, she believed his name was, he had his black hair done up in a ponytail simular to hers, only he lacked the bangs, and he was in an all black Ninja's training Gi, where Taki was wearing a red one.

And Taki knew that he not a fool, he was as well aware as she that his skills paled severely against hers, his fear was so great that his trembling hands proved difficult to hold on to his Wakizashi properly.

But, unfortunately for him, he was being trained under the ever watchful eye of raizo, one of the Clan's top Shinobi, an arrogant, and cruel man, even by a Ninja's standard, and sworn rival to her own master, Toki.

And the rivalry fell down to their Students as well, unfortunately for them.

But even though Taki had no personal vendetta against Asashi, she didn't much care for loosing either,

Taki smirked confidently at her helpless opponent, to which made Asashi even more nervous, and lunged at him!

Her Wakizashi in tow, she slashed at Asashi,

But Asashi proved to not be as helpless as he seemed earlier, for he tilted his head back, successfully dodging her blade, and slashed at her exposed torso!

But Taki expressed simular prowess, and jumped back, saving herself,

She was surprized to find when she looked up to find the serious look in the normally timid Asashi's pale grey eyes.

" It seems the whimpering dog has some bite after all." She said, slightly smug.

" Yes, and you should know this, Taki-Sama, barking dogs rarely bite." Asashi replyed, his demeanor changing entirely, he was even now smirking confidently as he glanced downward slightly.

Taki, confused, followed his gaze, and saw that she was bleeding!

_What? His blade actually managed to strike me? But how?_ She thought as she clutched her injury painfully.

And in the instance of her distraction, Asashi took this as his chance, and jumped up high in the air, and lowered his Wakizashi to slash Taki in the head, and successfully end her life!

Taki noticed this deception at the last possibly moment, and stepped backward just enough for her dark red cloth headband to flutter down in two, leaving a fine red line in its place.

Asashi wasted no time, and continued to slash at her repeatedly, his willingness to slay her plain to see within the raging fire that were once his eyes.

Taki almost felt sorry for him, he was at heart, a good person, shy, timid, even sweet.

But being trained under the iron fist of Raizo had given Asashi something of a dual personality,

On one end, he was the same, normal Asashi, but on the other, he became enraged, bloodthirsty, and most of all, deadly.

But Taki was never one to allow her empathy to hinder her duties,

Taki did a swift backflip away from the crazed Ninja dog, then after landing firmly on her feet, she put her hands together with both fore fingers extended together, and her eyes closed in a serene way.

_What is that stance?_ Asashi thought, having a right mind to slay her while her eyes were closed, yet, wanted to see what she had in store.

A bright red energy started to form around the young Kunoichi's small frame, then she opened her eyes, to reveal her iron resolve to win this match.

Asashi felt his heart sink into his feet!

He already knew that Taki outclassed him, but that wasn't what scared him, him taking a savage beating from Taki meant nothing compared to the many tortures that he'd have to endure by the hands of his Master for being weak, especially to a girl no less!

But he didn't have a choice now, no matter what he chose now, there would only be pain, just like everything else that was in his life, he raised his Wakizashi, holding firmly to at least his honor, and what was left at his battered and rundown pride, then with a loud yell, he lunged at the now powered up Taki!

Taki smiled inside, knowing that her victoy was absolute, but not knowing the dire consequences that awaited Asashi when fell.

And she lunged forward as well, completely silent.

* * *

><p>Heishiro walked silently from his house to the market, to pick up some medicine for his Father, his health was failing rapidly, he was as thin as a decomposeing corpse, and his skin was as pale as death.<p>

It didn't take a genius to guess that he wasn't long for this world.

Heishiro's feeling on that were as conflicted as usual, he didn't know how to act, or what to say, whether he should be sad, or fearful, or, **_relieved_**.

He walked casualy in the shop were Yukari-San worked.

A smile lit the old Woman's face upon seeing the young Swordman enter.

" Hello, Heishiro, how's your Father doing?" She asked politely.

" Not so good" He replied, shaking his head. " He's likely to die soon."

" Heishiro! Thats a terrible thing to say!" Yukari said, shocked at his uncaring behavior.

" Look, Listen, Baachan, I came here for some medicine, not to get scolded by someone who is NOT my Mother, " He shouted back to her as he flung the leather pouch and some money on the table in front of her.

" Now just make your damn medicine, fill the pouch, and leave me the hell alone!"

Yukari sighed, she could see that Heishiro was in pain, and dicided to cut him some slack.

" Very well, Heishiro, I'll give you the medicine, and if you ever need someone to talk to in the future, I just want you to know that I'm here for you." She said with a kind smile.

Heishiro tensed up, not knowing how to respond.

" T-Thank you, I soppose," He replied, looking away nervously." but know this, I don't need to be coddled like a helpless child, so you don't have to worry about me." He said proudly.

_When I become the strongest Samurai in Japan, no one will **have** to look after me._ He thought to himself.

Yukari smiled." I always worry about you, Heishiro." She said happily.

Heishiro reluctantly let a small smile on his face, happy that he had at least someone's support for a change.

Yukari then felt guilty, she knew that the smile he had, however faint it may be, would not last.

Some great tragedy awaited Heishiro in the future, and he would be left a broken, and jaded shell of the innocent Boy he is today.

Hopefully that Taki girl will help him cling to his troubled humanity.

" Say, Heishiro, wheres that Taki girl you were playing with about a week ago?" She asked, faking ignorence.

Heishiro winced slightly before answering," I don't know where she is, she doesn't live in the village, she said she'd be there in a week, but I'm no fool, I know better then to get my hopes up." Heishiro said sardonically.

" A Child as young as you shouldn't be so negative." Yukari replied, mixing the medicine.

" Believe me, Baachan, if being a positive, cheerful person would make life easier in any way, I'd be the most upright and cheerfully grinning person in all of Asia! But since the world wouldn't ever cut anyone that kind of a break, I guess I'm doomed to forever be gloomy." He said sarcastically.

" I soppose your right, but still, there are many things in this life to be thankful for." Yukari said, hoping to get through to the stubborn child.

" Grateful for what? A Father that hates me, a Mother that fears me, and three Brothers who are most likely dead, I am sorry, but I hardly see a reason to thank the gods for those little blessings." Heishiro said cynically, rolling his eyes.

" Well, their alive, aren't they? Your Parents, I mean." Yukari pointed out with a smile.

" I guess your right." Heishiro agreed, with a faint smile," But thats all there is."

Well, what about Taki?" Yukari asked with a cheeky smile.

A light pink blush appeared on Heishiro's face at the question!" J-Just give me the damn medicine!" He stuttered, flustered.

" Okay, okay." Yukari sighed with a smile, diciding that it wasn't nice to tease an Eight year old about his crush.

She then put the Medicine in the bag and handed it to Heishiro.

" Tell your Family that all my prayers are with them." She said as Heishiro turned to leave.

" I will pass that on, thank you, Yukari-San." Heishiro responded as he left.

_Even though prayers are worthless in the real world_. He thought bitterly, as he began to walk home, ignoring the feelings of sadness he felt in the acknowledgement of Taki's absence.

* * *

><p>Taki gave a swift and vivid diaginal motion with her Wakizashi, her round brown eyes were now in tiny slits, with a glare most fierce present in her dark orbs, and completely shattered Asashi's defense, and knocked him to the ground before her.<p>

With a painful groan Asashi lay there, blood spilling rapidly from his wound, it was a shallow cut, nothing serious, but one thing of obvious.

He had lost.

Taki immediatly put away her Blade upon seeing the damege she'd done, she meant to defeat him, not severely hurt him!

" Asashi! Are you okay? I'm sorry, I never meant to go this far!" She said with a worried tone of voice as she kneeled beside the blank faced boy.

He wasn't dead, at least, as far as he could it, not yet.

" Its okay, Taki-Chan. We were just following orders, that is our solem duty as Ninja, don't blame yourself." He assured the guilt consumed Kunoichi, who was staring down at him with misty brown eyes.

_Raizo-Shishou will most definately kill me for this, I can do nothing to stop that, and I don't even want to, I'm ready to die._

_But before I go, I can at least provide Taki some comfort, god knows she'll need it._

_While I'll be freed by the sweet hands of death, no longer bound by our iron codes, she'll live on, forever doomed to play the games of the sadistic minds of the higher ups._

_She was destined to surpass us all along, and I was a fool to think that I could change that._ Asashi thought with a sense of peace washing over him, even with the searing pain on his chest, he felt so, relieved.

Relieved that the horrible nightmare that was his life was finally coming to an end.

He smiled pleasently as he faded into unconsciousness..

" Asashi? Asashi! Wake up, hey!" Taki shouted as she tried to shake him awake.

" Taki, thats Enough! Step away from him."

The young Kunoichi turned to see his Master and Father figure, who had been over looking the match, standing there with a sympathetic expression.

He was adorned in a dark Hakama and Ninja Gi, a more formal garp then what he usually wore.

" I understand your feeling of guilt for causing another pain, Taki." He said as he kneeled down beside her and placed a empathetic hand on her small shoulder.

" But in the world of the Ninja, you cannot allow such emotions to consume you, Asashi in your eyes is an innocent boy who is simply the victem of bad luck, but that is not how you should view it, all you should see is your opponent, whom you must bring down swiftly, and without mercy.

Do you understand, Taki?" The Ninja asked his student.

Taki's eyes slowly went from large and saddened to small and sullen." Yes, my Master." She declared stoicly, then she stood up, bowed to her Master and the village elders that were over looking the match, and then walked away in silence.

Raizo watched Taki leave, with an evil grin on his middle-aged face. _If only I was lucky enough to find a rare gem of a Warrior like her, even for a girl, her skills are unmatched, if only her, and **not** that insolent fool boy lying in the dirt like a dog_! He thought angerly.

Another Student of his kneeled beside him, awaiting an order as to what to do with the mortally wounded Asashi.

" Take care of him." Was all the evil man ordered, an order his Students are all to familiar with...

* * *

><p>Heshiro took off his Geta Sandals and slid open the door." Mother, I've returned with the medicine." He called out.<p>

But there was no answer.

" Mother?" He said, more quietly this time.

He walked into the house, listening intently for any sign of life, but there was none to be found. the rooms were as silent as the grave, and the air was as still as death.

Heishiro felt his heart beat start to quicken as he realized his Father wasn't in his room!

Horrid thoughts began to run rampid through his head!

_Where was his Mother and Father?_

_What could have happenend to them? _

_They wouldn't just abandon him, Right? _

Then he heard an eery, chilling creaking noise, Heishiro's mind immediately snapped back into reality as he ran to see what it was.

And what he found, would change the course of his life forever,

Turn him from a boy, to a Demon.

He puuled open a door, and his body froze in place, his eyes widened in sheer terror, and his heart jumped right into his throat!

"M-Mother?" He said with a shaky voice as he felt tears falling out of his horrified eyes.

He saw his Mother swinging lightly back and forth by her neck, in a chilling creaking noise that he heard before from the beam that supported her corpse, her corpse started slowly turned around, her lifeless eyes pearing through her Son's as though accusing him of sin!

" Why?" was all the traumatized child could breath out as he watched her lifeless form in utter helplessness.

" Because of you!" A withered, dry voice accused.

Heishiro senses went alert upon hearing the voice.

" Father!" He shouted as he ran over to the place his Father's withered body lay, he was looking even worse then ever, he was quite obviously on death's door.

" Father, what happend? Why did Mother do this?" He asked, frantic, struggling to hold in his sobs, with tears in his eyes.

" Its because of you, Heishiro, she could no longer bare the shame of giving birth to a demon-in-the-making, she hated you, as do I." He said with an intense hatred in his half lidded eyes, and a voice barely above a whisper, as though it was his last breath.

" Y-You don't mean that, right Father? I know we were not always seeing eye-to-eye, but you couldn't have possibly have hated me, right?" He aked hopefully, with a nervous smile present on his tear-drenched face.

" I do, Heishiro, and so did she, your Brothers were lucky to have died in the War, so they would not have to live the shjame of being with you any longer," He coughed up blood harshly!

" What, their all dead? Heishiro asked in shock!

" Yes, yes boy, their all dead, as will I be, we are all finally, free, of you." he said as his voice lowered and his eyes slowly closed, and he breathed his final breath.

All was silent now, except for the creaking beside him, Heishiro sat in utter horror!

His Mother, his Father, and all of his Brothers, were all dead?

He was completely silent, his mind was blank, he didn't know how to react to the terrible reality that had now presented itself to him,

He was all alone now, no, like he'd always been!

They had hated him! They always did! For no reason at all!

He had always subconsciously expected that his Family feared and hated him, but he never truly acknowledged it, not untill he saw the truth before his eyes!

The terror of the new realization was overflowing within him, all he could do now was scream, and cry, and lament his false story of a life.

That was all his life was, a lie!

A deceitful play organstrated by his whole Family, playing the part of the loving Family,

But it eventually became far to much, to pretend to love someone that they wished was dead, and then, the play was over.

And the curtains would now close on a poor, lonely, and traumatized boy, mourning his loss of life, completely alone.

Suddenly, for the first time, he could truly admit to himself, he longed for Taki's presence, her sweet smile to calm his many demons, her cheerful demeanor to unhaunt him of his ghosts,

Only now he realized just how much her being there made him happy, truly happy!

Even though their time spend together was brief, he realized how much she meant to him, he now allowed himself to pray to the god that he did not believe in for her to come back to him.

* * *

><p>Taki sat on the roof of her's and Toki's house, completely silent, and hugging her knees, thinking about what her Master said,<p>

Basically that she'd have to abandoned her human feelings, and become an emotionless puppet, a demon within the darkness, another player in the dark games of polotics.

She didn't want to do that, she wanted to keep her heart, to still be able to love, laugh, cry, have fun, be scared, all the usual feelings of a little girl her age.

And in that instant, she thought of Mitsurugi.

She blushed brightly and quickly shook her head of such thoughts.

Then she remembered her promise to go see him again!

Its been about about a week now, I should go see him tomorrow, he'll be happy to see me again, at least, I hope so. She thought with a smile, as she sat contently with him in her mind, listening to the night.

* * *

><p>A massive shift in tone right here, hope this doesn't scare anyone off. R&amp;R, I own nothing!<p> 


	3. An unbreakable  bond

The crisp moring air filled his lungs as he felt the cold morning dew at his feet, the sun was just barely peaking out through the tree's, telling the world that day was about to break,

With the eyes of a deadman, Heishiro stacked the last stone unto the grey pile that rested over the undisturbed earth beneath,

The grave that held his whole Family.

Heishiro had spent the whole night burrying them outside of their house,

The house was so empty and quiet now, the silence screamed the horrid truth that stained Heishiro's mind still.

The apparent truth was still to the point that Heishiro wanted to wretch whenever he thought about it,

How his Parents hated him, or how his Brother's feared him, all for nothing,

Thats all it was to, it was all for nothing, there was no reason for any of it, none.

Yet still, Heishiro layed his Parents to rest, in the hopes that they would find their peace in the next world.

He still loved them, no matter what they did, or how they felt, not even the way that they made him suffer was enough to sway that.

Not even how much he **hated** them!

Heishiro wordlessly backed away from the grave, he was dirty from the all-night dig, his hair was a frazzled mess that hung over his shoulders, and lifeless face, his eyes, though they were always stoic, today, they were lifeless, symbolizing the shell of a boy that he had become, after learning that the Family that you loved never loved you, its enough to kill your compassion completely, it felt as though his heart had been torn out of his chest, then someone died it black, then placed it back in.

He felt dead, almost as dead as his Parents rotting Corpses beneath the cold earth.

Yet there was still one silver lining in his thoughts, one that kept the flame in his dead heart from burning out completely,

Taki.

* * *

><p>Asashi lay in pain, covered in bandages over the wounds that Taki had inflicted, he sat there in waiting, waiting for his Master to at long last end him, or maybe one of his fellow Students.<p>

He couldn't help but think of Taki, and remember the tears she had shed,

Tears for him,

An amazing Warrior-to-be like her actually cried for a pathetic lout like him!

He smiled a crooked smile at that, he could die a peaceful death by simply knowing that someone cared enough to cry for him.

All of his life, it was only him who shed the tears,

Tears for the harsh life for which he had lived,

A life where your Parents are brutaly slaughtered right in front of you when you are far to young to fight back and defend them.

Only able to watch helplessly from a closet, seeing their red blood spraying like a puddle after a storm.

But he didn't have to leave the world behind with the knowledge that someone actually cared,

Taki did,

That was enough.

His eyes narrowed when he heard the door slide open, and in walked Riostu, a fellow student of Asashi, and inspite being a boy of only 12, he was Master Raizo's unofficial right-hand man, willing to lie, cheat, and kill, for his Master, as he slithers his way to the top like the Snake that he was.

" Hello, Asashi." He said with an unpleasent grin, full of malice and false kindness.

" Just do as you will, Rio, we both know what you were sent here to do." Asashi said, far from the timid boy from before the match, he was now stalwart and focused, ready to accept his fate.

A devilish grin slowly appeared on Rio's 12-Year-old face, " Yes, I'm so sorry that it had to come to this, dear Asashi." He said with false empathy.

" Liar." Was all Asashi said as he slowly sat up.

Then he looked Rio dead in the eye, the gleaming ferousity that shone brightly in his eyes sent a slight chill of fear down the Snake's spine.

" If you must kill me, then don't pretend that you give a damn about doing so, we both know you lack such empathy, Riotsu." Asashi said darkly.

" Fine, fine, I'll skip the pleasentries." Rio said, waving his hand absently, with a look of arrogance on his sharp, angled face.

Then, with his evil smile reappearing, he slowly pulled out his Washizashi, then held it up with the intent to kill gleaming in his red Snake-like eyes.

" Is there anything that you wish to say before you die, Asashi?" He asked, his voice almost slithering with bloodlust.

" Yes, no matter what you do to me, absolutely none of this will fall at Taki's feet!" Asashi demanded.

Rio shrugged." I'll see to that, I may be the most amoral son of a bitch you'll ever meet, but I do keep my promises."

Asashi chuckled bitterly." I wish that I could believ that, I really do." Then a smile in turn appeared on his face. "Farewell, you foul piece of scum."

" Farewell, Asashi." Was all he said befor he slashed his Blade, and all there was left was the color red, and a loud thud...

* * *

><p>Taki flew through the lavish green forest, jumping from branch to branch, hardly able to contain the excitement she felt at the thought of seeing Mitsurugi again!<p>

_I sure hope he isn't mad that I'm a day late_. She thought to herself as she grabbed a branch, swung around it, and flipped onto the soft green grass on the ground.

She stood before the Bamboo forest were she met Heishiro 8 days earlier.

A light blush appeared on her face as she thought of him,

The Swordsboy with the stern facade of a one much older then himself, but underneath, Taki saw very clearly that he at the end of it all was just as shy, confused, and unsure as she was whenever they were together.

_I can't wait to see him, I hope that he's still waiting for me_. She thought as she ran into the forest, she ran through the many stalks of Bamboo, then she came to the clearing where they first met, and found,

Nothing.

It was completely empty, save for a few stray leaves blowing in the wind, swirling together in an elegant dance.

" Where is he?" Taki asked herself. catching the leaves in her hands,

She looked at them in innocent curiousity,

One was a perfect green, with only the slightest cracks with brown edges in its center, the other, was almost completely dead.

" Strange..." Taki mumbled as she felt an unpleasent chill run down her spine, as the wind picked up again, she looked in the direction of Mitsurugi's house with a serious look on her young face.

" Heishiro." Were the only words she spoke as she let the leaves fall out of her hands and onto the wind, so that they may ride it on a journy to their destination, and meet there fate.

She, while not quite adept at the teleportation skill yet, she placed her hands and forfingers together, and disappeared in a swirl leaves,

_I'm coming_.

* * *

><p>Heishiro sat in the very center of the den of his empty house, with his Father's Katana, Korefuji.<p>

It was still as flawless and strong as he remembered.

Not at all like that pathetic waste of flesh that was his Father.

He had to figure out what to say to the villagers who are wondering what happend, and why his Parents suddenly disappeared.

He would have a hard time explaining that, but he would have to think of something soon, lest they believe it was him.

And thats probably the conclusion that they will come to, the Villagers hate and fear him as well, aside from Taki and possibly Yukari, he had nowhere to go,

He didn't want to stay here, where the ghosts of that traumatic expierience still haunted him thoughout the walls, endlessly screaming with the deafening silence, reminding him that no one loved him,

No one ever had,

And chances are, that no one ever would.

Be it life, or death who is responsible, somehow, he would always get left behind.

Then, he heard the sliding of the Shoji doors, and shattering the silence surrounding him, he heard light footsteps clattering about, towards him.

He turned around and to his surprize, felt a pair of arms wrap around him!

" Hi, Heishiro-Kun!" Taki said, smiling and laughing happily as she clung to a very surprized Mitsurugi.

" T-Taki." He whispered, suddenly feeling his arms shaking.

Taki feared that her worries were true, she pulled away slightly, " Heishiro, what's the matter, are you okay?" She asked, and when she looked at his face, she saw that there were tears running down it!

" I, I don't think that I am, Taki-Chan." He answered, his voice shaky, and a strangled smile on his tear stained face.

Taki on instinct pulled him into another hug, she held him tight, as though to contain the warth that was steadily leaving his soul.

" Heishiro, what happend?" She asked again, her head resting on his chest,

With shaking arms, he hugged her back, clinging to her body for dear life, like a desperate man drowning!

Or a frozen man about to die from the cold, longing to feel warmth.

" My Parents, their, dead." He said, though the tears of his sorrow remained, his voice leaked out the bitterness from within.

" Their dead, how?" Taki asked, shocked to hear of such a tragedy happening to her dear friend, and only a week after she last saw him, no less!

" Sit down, I'll explain." He said, his stoic demeanor returning to him, as he broke their embrace.

For the rest of the afternoon, with the dead eyed look of a decapitated head, he told Taki the dreadful, shameful story of his Family's demise.

Taki sat silently the whole time, letting her friend get it all off of his chest,

Then, when he stopped talking as the Sun began to set, she spoke.

" My god!" Taki breathed out in a sharp whisper.

She couldn't believe it!

Heishiro's Mother seemed so sweet and kind when she met her, she would never have guessed in a million years that beneath that kind face was nothing more then mere faceless deception,

Same could be said for the rest of his Family!

Taki almost couldn't believe that it was all just a sick play, an evil scheme, a cruel joke played on an innocent boy.

Taki was infuriated!

But she wouldn't let him see that she was, he had enough to think about already.

" I know it probably won't mean anything at the moment, but, I'm sorry for everything thats happend, Heishiro." Taki replied to the now silent Mitsurugi.

" Your wrong, Taki, it means everything." He responded with a broken smile.

It broke Taki's heart to see him in this state, but after losing your whole Family, as well as finding out that they never truly loved you in the first place, no one would be okay after such a discovery.

She wished with every fiber of her being that she could take his pain from him, and let him rest easy for once.

But things were never that simple, not for them.

" What are you going to tell the Village?" Taki asked, breaking the silence that took place.

" I will tell them, that they all passed away from illness." Heishiro answered.

" And then what will you do?" Taki asked, figuring that he did not want to stay here.

" I don't know yet, I do plan to train under the Murakami clan, but I'm not old enough to make that journey yet." Mitsurugi explained.

" Where will you go untill then?" Taki asked.

" I'm going to see if Yukari will take me in untill then, she was always much kinder to me anyway," He continued, looking nonchalant.

Then his eyes darkened,"For real, at least."

Taki flinched at the words that were spoken, she could see his pain so clearly in his eyes that it made her feel pain as well.

" Heishiro, are, are we still going to be friends when this is over?" She asked with a timid voice.

She was truly scared to lose him,

But this experience would change him so much, that maybe his heart would be far to dark to care about things like friends anymore.

In her world, the Ninja world, there was no honesty,

Just deception, and mindless backstabbing.

" Of course we'll still be friends, Taki." Misturugi answered, actually looking surprized that she would ask such a question.

" Really?" She asked quietly.

" Yes, really." He said with a smile.

A light shade of pink appeared on her cheeks, " I'm glad."

" Me to, and not just for us still being friends, but just because, your here,

Here with me, when everyone else disappeared due to their own ignorence and fear,

Your here like a true friend should be.

Thank you, Taki." Heishiro thanked his first and only frind.

Then he felt Fatigue overcome him from his sleepless night of burying his Parents, he leaned against the wall.

" Theres no need to thank me, Mitsurugi-Kun, I feel the same way." She said as she sat beside him.

Then, as she noticed that his eyes were closed, she slowly curled up against him.

And wrapped a blanket around them to protect their skin from the cold of night.

As sleep overtook her as well, she, barely conscious, uttered words that she never thought she'd ever say to anyone,

" I love you."

* * *

><p>There you go, :)<p> 


End file.
